Soul Mates
by unicorn-skydancer08
Summary: When Lucy strays a little too far from the Cair, she finds herself lost and afraid in the forest. As she struggles to find her way, she encounters an extraordinary creature, with whom she forms an extraordinary relationship.


**SOUL MATES  
**

_What's this? A new story, set in Narnia? It's as big a surprise to me as anybody. I haven't lost my love for Narnia, but ideas have been next to nil these days. _

_Lately, I've become rather fond of the Yoram Gross film, _**Dot and the Kangaroo**_. It's surprisingly simple, surprisingly sad, and surprisingly charming. That movie sparked the idea for this. I decided I'd take a slightly different approach to Lucy and Tumnus meeting Terence for the first time. Even though Tumnus doesn't show up in this chapter, I promise he will later.  
_

_Don't forget to review, and happy reading! _

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**Characters (with exceptions) © C.S. Lewis and Disney/Walden Media/Fox  
**

**Story © unicorn-skydancer08**

_**All rights reserved.**_

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******Chapter 1: Restless**

"Absolutely not."

"Oh, come on, Susan! I promise I'll only go a little way."

"No, Lucy. You're staying here at the Cair, where it's safe."

Lucy sighed, and it was only with great effort that she abstained from rolling her eyes. "Susan, I'm nine years old. I think I know how to take care of myself by now."

"You mean you _will _be nine years old," said Susan, "in about five months' time. Even so, you don't know what's out there, and you couldn't possibly risk it."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do while you, Peter, and Edmund are going about all this boring royal business?"

Susan's gray-blue eyes narrowed and her jaw stiffened, reminding Lucy of the infamous look their mother used to give them whenever they gave her any lip. "For your information, little missy," Susan said, her voice quiet but blunt enough, "our business is your business, too. Don't forget, you also are a Queen. You play just as important a role in Narnia's sovereignty as the boys and I do."

"But you're the ones doing most of the work," said Lucy with a shrug of her small shoulders. "All I'm doing is getting in everybody's way."

"Well, if that's how you feel, find some other way to entertain yourself. Why don't you play in your room, or read some books, or go see Mr. Tumnus? He is your new friend, after all; you two do almost everything together."

"But Mr. Tumnus said Peter needed him for most of today. Besides, I'm tired of being shut up in my room. I swear, I can walk around the place blindfolded. And I must have read every book in my library a hundred times."

Now it was Susan's turn to sigh. She bit back the retort that she very much doubted Lucy cracked more than a handful of the books on the bottommost shelf. "You know everyone else around here has their hands full," the older girl said at last. "That includes Oreius, Sir Giles, and the Beavers. This means we can't send an escort with you to the Western Wood."

"I don't need an escort," Lucy insisted. "I know those woods well."

"Not nearly well enough. We've only been in Narnia for a short time; there is so much of this world that yet remains unknown to us."

"Come on," Lucy said again. "It's not as if I'm set to explore the entire forest. I just want to get out, get some fresh air. Is that really too much?"

"You want fresh air? You can get more than plenty from one of the balconies."

"Hey, ladies," Peter's voice broke in right then. "What's going on here?"

Both girls turned to see their eldest brother standing in the doorway, with Edmund but two steps behind him. The boys were dressed casually for that day, with a few touches of flair. It was amazing how much they represented figures of royalty, considering they hadn't reigned over Narnia beyond three months.

"It's nothing, Peter," said Susan, "aside from Lucy wanting to get out of here."

"Got a little bout of cabin fever, eh?" said Edmund, quirking an eyebrow at his youngest sister.

"And Susan's afraid I can't manage it on my own," said Lucy before she could stop herself.

"I'm not afraid!" Susan looked indignant, and slightly insulted. "I'm just employing a little common sense…which is more than can be said for some of us."

"Well, what's wrong with Lucy being by herself for a while?" Edmund asked as the boys walked forward. "Everyone else around here is going about their own business anyway. Besides, I think all of us have spent a little too much time cooped up in this place. If my hands weren't tied, I'd love to be out and about myself."

"I don't see what harm it would do," Peter added, to Susan's astonishment and Lucy's delight, "so long as Lucy stays within vicinity of the castle."

"But—" Susan started to protest.

"Oh, lighten up, Susan," said Edmund with a playful nudge at her side. "Lucy's a big girl; I'm sure she can handle it."

"I promise, I'll be careful," said Lucy. "I won't go far at all. And I'll be back in plenty of time."

For a long moment, Susan appeared at a loss for words. Then, shaking her head, she muttered, "Ohh…all right. Looks like I'm outvoted in this matter." She added, just as Lucy was turning her back, "But you be _very_ careful out there, Lucy. Do you hear?"

"I said I would," said Lucy. "I'll see you all later. Bye!"

With that, the little girl turned and skipped away, as eager as the royal horses when they were turned out to pasture.

Unbeknownst to her, Edmund was saying, "You know what your problem is, Susan? You worry too much."

"And Lucy's problem is that she doesn't worry at all," Susan retorted.

"She'll be all right," said Peter with a light pat on her shoulder. "What's the worst that can happen?"


End file.
